The Latest: Boy killed by bear identified as Anchorage teen

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) The Latest on bear maulings in Alaska (all times local):

4:10 p.m.

Authorities in Alaska are investigating a second fatal bear mauling involving a black bear in as many days.

Officials with Pogo Mine located near Fairbanks say one contract employee was mauled to death Monday and a second received non-life-threatening injuries in an attack at an exploration site.

The mine says in a statement that the two worked for a contractor hired to take geological samples at the underground gold mine about 90 miles southeast of Fairbanks.

A helicopter with a paramedic and physician's assistant on board was dispatched to the attack scene several miles from the main camp, and the injured worker was flown to a Fairbanks hospital.

The mine recalled all 24 of its employees working in the field after the mauling was reported.

The company says Alaska Wildlife Troopers directed mine personnel to kill the bear, which they did.

It's the second fatal mauling since Sunday in the nation's largest state. A 16-year-old boy competing in a mountain race just south of Anchorage was mauled by a black bear on Sunday.

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10:45 a.m.

Alaska authorities have identified a 16-year-old boy who was fatally mauled by a black bear during a weekend mountain race as Patrick Cooper of Anchorage.

Race organizers say Cooper reportedly called his brother while he was being chased by the animal just before the Sunday afternoon attack. Earlier reports say he texted his mother.

Race director Brad Precosky says the boy was mauled after he got lost and veered off the trail during the juniors division of the Robert Spurr Memorial Hill Climb race south of Anchorage.

Responders ultimately located the boy, whose body was found about a mile up the path, at about 1,500 vertical feet (457 vertical meters). Precosky says the bear was found at the site, guarding the body.

A park ranger shot the 250-pound (113-kilogram) bear in the face, but the animal ran away.

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7:40 a.m.

Authorities say a black bear killed a 16-year-old runner while he was competing in an Alaska race on Sunday.

Anchorage television station KTUU reports (http://bit.ly/2sKjM9p) that the teenager, whose identity has not been released, was a participant in the juniors division of the Robert Spurr Memorial Hill Climb race between Anchorage and Girdwood.

The race director says the runner had apparently made it to the halfway point turnaround on Bird Ridge trail and was on his way down when he texted his mother that he was being chased by a bear.

Officials responded up the mountain to locate the boy, whose body was found about a mile up the path, at about 1,500 vertical feet.

Alaska State Troopers said Sunday that the boy's remains were airlifted from the scene.

A park ranger shot the 250-pound bear in the face, but it ran away.

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